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Gambit Chess Books - Openings B00-B99
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Chess Explained: The c3 Sicilian
by Sam Collins
Publication Date: April 2007
Editorial Review:
The c3 Sicilian is one of White's most popular and poisonous ways to avoid the main lines of the Sicilian. With the forcing line 1 e4 c5 2 c3, White denies his opponent the chance to demonstrate his preparation in some chaotic system; instead Black will have to fight carefully for equality in a more rational position of White's choosing. There are plenty of tricks and traps in the c3 Sicilian, and the open piece-play that often results can lead to quick attacks and means that careless play will rarely go unpunished.
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Chess Explained: The Caro-Kann
by Peter Wells
Publication Date: November 1, 2006
Editorial Review:
The Caro-Kann Defence has a well-deserved and established reputation as an incredibly solid and, at the same time, dynamic defence to 1 e4. The Caro-Kann appeals to all types of players, but is especially useful to black players who prefer a sound platform on which to build and who are resourceful in both defence and counter-attack. Star players who enjoy using the Caro-Kann include Vishy Anand, Michael Adams and the legendary Anatoly Karpov. In this easy-to-read guide, Grandmaster Joe Gallagher goes back to the basics of the Caro-Kann, studying the key principles of its many variations. Throughout the book there is an abundance of notes, tips, warnings and exercises to help the improving player, while important strategies, ideas and tactics for both sides are clearly illustrated.
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Chess Explained: The Taimanov Sicilian
by James Rizzitano
Publication Date: November 1, 2006
Editorial Review:
The Taimanov Sicilian is one of the most flexible options for Black in the Open Sicilian. Black avoids committing himself to a rigid set-up, and tailors his response once White has shown his hand. This can lead to a great variety of central structures, and the player with the better understanding of typical Sicilian themes will often emerge victorious - Taimanov positions need to be understood well in order to be played well. Many of the post-war World Champions have used the Taimanov, and amongst the current world elite, Anand has played it most frequently. This book covers the Paulsen set-up with ...Qc7 in addition to the 'pure' Taimanov with ...Nge7.
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Chess Explained: The Classical Sicilian
by Alex Yermolinsky
Publication Date: March 20, 2006
Editorial Review:
The Classical Sicilian is one of the most popular and respected systems of the Sicilian, and has been used frequently by players such as Anand, Kramnik and Shirov. Black develops his pieces more quickly than in many Sicilian systems, and intricate piece-play often results. The Classical Sicilian arises after the moves 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6. White's most popular and critical response is the Richter-Rauzer Attack, and recent years have seen a diversification in the plans for both sides in this perennially popular line. Against White's alternatives to the Rauzer, Yermolinsky covers lines that retain the independent significance of the Classical move-order, such as 6 Bc4 Qb6 - a line in which he is a leading specialist.
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A Complete Guide to the Grivas Sicilian
by Efstratios Grivas
Publication Date: September 1, 2005
Editorial Review:
This book is in every way a definitive guide: Efstratios Grivas provides the inside story on a variation of the Sicilian Defence that he has worked for more than 20 years to perfect, and which rightly bears his name. The Grivas Sicilian (1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Qb6) has proved itself sound and reliable in practice, but is also far less well investigated than most Sicilian systems. This gives it an extra sting in practice, which readers will be able to use to their advantage over the board - it is most unlikely that their opponents will have a well-worked-out response ready. The Grivas Sicilian generally leads to positions akin to the Scheveningen, but with some subtle differences. Grivas explains these subtleties at length, helping readers to exploit all their chances to seize the initiative.
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Play the Sicilian Dragon
by Edward J. Dearing
Publication Date: March 18, 2005
Editorial Review:
The Dragon variation is one of the key battlegrounds of modern chess, and a perennial favourite of ambitious chess-players of all standards. Black develops his pieces so as to maximize the strategic pluses granted him in the Open Sicilian. If White is to expose a defect in the Dragon, it must be by a direct attack, and this leads to ferocious battles, with White trying to checkmate the black king via the h-file, while Black seeks to gain counterplay down the c-file and on the long diagonal. In the Dragon, many Sicilian themes are seen in their clearest form, with the ...Rxc3 exchange sacrifice particularly important. Even Dragon endgames tend to be very sharp, with Black often possessing a swathe of mobile pawns in return for an exchange, a piece, or even a whole rook.
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The English Attack
by Tapani Sammalvuo
Publication Date: November 30, 2004
Editorial Review:
The English Attack (Be3 and f3) became popular as a direct attacking method against the Najdorf in the 1980s, following its successful use by Nunn, Short and Chandler. Since then, it has become established as the most critical line of the Najdorf, with Anand and even Kasparov himself using it to devastating effect at the highest level. This book is the first to be devoted to this most topical of openings, and its comprehensive coverage will enable players of all standards to play either side of the English Attack with confidence. Sammalvuo also discusses the trendy 6 f3 move-order, and the English Attack set-up against a variety of other Sicilian lines.
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Mastering the Najdorf
by Julen Arizmendi (Author), Javier Moreno (Author)
Publication Date: November 28, 2004
Editorial Review:
The Najdorf is the most popular line of the Sicilian Defence for a very good reason: Black can play for a win without taking undue risks. The Najdorf's fundamental soundness has been confirmed in countless top-level games, and in particular by Garry Kasparov's successful use of it throughout his career. White has tried a wide variety of approaches against the Najdorf, including quiet positional lines and the traditional main line with 6 Bg5. Recently the idea of a rapid kingside pawn advance has found favour. The Najdorf's landscape changes rapidly, and this presents its devotees with a complex task: they must not only keep up-to-date with sharp theoretical lines, but must also have a firm grasp of the strategies that underpin the main systems, both old and new.
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The Complete Sveshnikov Sicilian
by Yuri Yakovich
Publication Date: April 2003
Editorial Review:
The Sveshnikov Variation is one of the most uncompromising lines of the Sicilian Defence. Black accepts an apparently loose pawn-structure in return for a great deal of piece activity. Decades of experience have shown that it is far from easy for White to neutralize Black's active play, and the Sveshnikov is now firmly established as a favourite weapon for players who wish to win games as Black. Leading grandmasters who have relied on the Sveshnikov include John Nunn, Michal Krasenkow, Joel Lautier, Miguel Illescas, Alexei Shirov, Peter Leko and, most notably, BGN World Champion Vladimir Kramnik.
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Anti-Sicilians: A Guide for Black
by Dorian Rogozenko
Publication Date: March 2003
Editorial Review:
The Sicilian is far and away the most popular chess opening, and many players prefer to side-step the Open Sicilian with one of the Anti-Sicilian systems at White's disposal. This book equips Black to fight against all these lines. The Anti-Sicilian systems include: positionally motivated lines such as the 2 c3 Sicilian and the 3 Bb5 systems; slow but tricky attacking lines including the Closed Sicilian and the King's Indian Attack; aggressive but loosening ideas like the Grand Prix Attack and a variety of gambits. In the most critical variations, Rogozenko provides a choice between a solid and an aggressive option. He caters for those who meet 2 Nf3 with the three main moves, 2...d6, 2...e6 and 2...Nc6.
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Play the 2 c3 Sicilian
by Eduardas Rozentalis, Andrew Harley
Publication Date: September 2002
Editorial Review:
A book that guides readers in how to handle a popular variation of the Sicilian Defence, which is far and away the most popular chess opening. An intimidating body of theory has been developed around the Sicilian's main lines, in which White grants his opponent a central majority which may prove an important factor later on. Many players prefer to avoid the all-or-nothing attacks of the Open Sicilian, turning instead to the positionally sound 2 c3 line. White prepares to seize space and will develop his pieces rapidly to natural squares. Those who specialize in the 2 c3 Sicilian find it to be an excellent point-scorer, as Black has not only objective difficulties to contend with, but also has the psychological problem that he is battling just for equality, with little prospect of taking the initiative.
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The Sicilian Sozin
by Mikhail Golubev
Publication Date: January 1, 2002
Editorial Review:
A life-long Sozin devotee explains the subtleties of this aggressive system for White. The Sozin Attack is White’s most overtly aggressive counter to the Sicilian. White puts his bishop on c4, and often follows up with direct play against the black king. Unless Black defends with the utmost precision, the bishop’s influence often fuels a deadly attack leading to a cascade of sacrifices and a brutal king-hunt. The Sozin set-up can be employed against the Classical Sicilian, the Najdorf and even the Scheveningen. This book presents in detail the theory of the Sozin in all its forms, including the razor-sharp Velimirovic Attack.
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The Taimanov Sicilian
by Graham Burgess
Publication Date: November 1, 2000
Editorial Review:
The Taimanov Variation is one of Black's most flexible approaches to the Sicilian. With his 'ideal' move-order, Black maintains plenty of options while side-stepping some of White's most dangerous attacking plans. The main game-plan is counterattack, but, unlike in many Sicilian lines, Black can tailor his plan of development according to how White arranges his pieces. The Taimanov has been used to good effect by many outstanding players of recent decades, notably Karpov, Polugayevsky, Andersson and, of course, Taimanov himself. This book discusses in detail all lines after 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6, including the 'pure' Taimanov approach with ...Nge7 and the more popular 'Paulsen' lines with ...Qc7. Move-order subtleties, including possible transpositions to the Scheveningen, are discussed in detail. All analysis has been scrupulously computer-checked.
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